Agent poll: Lucic's contract the worst, MacKinnon's most team-friendly
NHL resource Puckpedia.com polled 25 agents on a variety of topics and recently published most of the results.
Agents answered questions about CBA jargon, draft eligibility, and some juicier subjects, including player contracts and which general managers are the best or worst to deal with.
Here's a look at some of the results.
Worst contract from team perspective
| Player | Team | Cap hit | Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milan Lucic | Flames | $6M | 19% |
| Brent Seabrook | Blackhawks | $6.875M | 14% |
| Erik Karlsson | Sharks | $11.5M | 10% |
| Jeff Skinner | Sabres | $9M | 10% |
Lucic signed a seven-year deal with the Oilers in 2016, and his production dropped drastically after a solid first season. The soon-to-be 32-year-old was traded to Calgary to clear salary last offseason.
Seabrook was rewarded by the Blackhawks after being a core member of the club's three Stanley Cup titles last decade. His play and his body have both deteriorated since his extension, and there are still four seasons to go on the deal.
Karlsson cashed in with the Sharks after his lengthy run as the game's top defenseman, but persisting injuries have many wondering if the eight-year term was worth it.
Lastly, Skinner parlayed a 40-goal debut season in Buffalo into an eight-year, $72-million contract. In the first year of his lucrative extension, he's mustered 23 points in 59 games.
Most team-friendly contract
| Player | Team | Cap hit | Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan MacKinnon | Avalanche | $6.3M | 33% |
| David Pastrnak | Bruins | $6.67M | 14% |
| Calle Jarnkrok | Predators | $2M | 14% |
| Kevin Labanc | Sharks | $1M | 10% |
MacKinnon and Pastrnak are no-brainers, as both are MVP candidates who make pennies on the dollar compared to players with similar levels of production.
Jarnkrok is a bit of a surprise inclusion, as he potted 34 points in 64 contests this season. Labanc, meanwhile, made headlines for accepting a $1-million contract last season with the goal of being paid more when the team had more cap flexibility.
Other notables receiving votes in this category were Aleksander Barkov, Mark Scheifele, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Blake Coleman.
Best GM to get client a good deal from
| GM | Team | Vote% |
|---|---|---|
| Kyle Dubas | Maple Leafs | 29% |
| Jim Nill | Stars | 6% |
| Jason Botterill | Sabres | 6% |
| Doug Wilson | Sharks | 6% |
Toronto's boss was the only GM to receive multiple votes, likely due to the big-ticket contracts he doled out to core forwards Auston Matthews ($11.634 million), John Tavares ($11 million), Mitch Marner (10.96 million), and William Nylander ($6.9 million).
Interestingly enough, the GM voted toughest to deal with was Lou Lamoriello, who joined the New York Islanders when Dubas took over the job in Toronto.